Mickey Rooney

Mickey Rooney was a little man who enjoyed a big career and a larger-than-life persona. Born into a family of vaudeville performers, he was pushed on stage before he could talk and never let up, appea...
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A representative for the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has defended the producers' decision to omit Joan Rivers from the traditional In Memoriam segment at the Oscars on Sunday night (22Feb15), blaming time constraints for the snub. Meryl Streep introduced the picture montage at Los Angeles' Dolby Theatre and Jennifer Hudson performed after celebrities like Robin Williams, Lauren Bacall, Bob Hoskins, Mike Nichols, Mickey Rooney and Maya Angelou were remembered at Hollywood's big night.
However, Rivers, who died in September (14), was notably absent from the tribute, prompting fans and celebrity friends alike to express their disappointment online.
The funnywoman's Fashion Police co-presenter Kelly Osbourne was among those surprised by the omission and she took to Twitter.com to complain, writing, "Am I missing something or was @Joan_Rivers really left out of the #Oscars memorials?".
An Oscars spokesperson has now responded to the uproar, claiming Rivers fell victim to time and space constraints for the live telecast, although she is featured in a tribute online.
The rep tells The Hollywood Reporter, "Joan Rivers is among the many worthy artists and filmmakers we were unfortunately unable to feature in the In Memoriam segment of this year's Oscar show. She is, however, included in our In Memoriam gallery on Oscar.com."
The controversy is the latest awards season snub for Rivers' friends and family after she was also left out of a similar segment at the Grammy Awards earlier this month (Feb15) - despite posthumously winning her first Grammy for Best Spoken Word Album for her memoir, Diary of a Mad Diva, at the ceremony.

Joan Rivers was notably left out of the In Memoriam segment at the 87th Oscars on Sunday (22Feb15), when the Academy paid tribute to the likes of Mickey Rooney, Edward Herrmann, James Garner, Elizabeth Pena, Maya Angelou, James Rebhorn, Lord Richard Attenborough, Ruby Dee, Robin Williams, Lauren Bacall, Bob Hoskins and Mike Nichols, among many others, in a special montage. Rivers, who died in September (14), was also missing from a similar piece at the Grammy Awards earlier this month (Feb15).

Organisers of the BAFTA Awards have explained their decision to leave beloved British actor Bob Hoskins out of the event's In Memoriam segment following a slew of complaints about the snub. The Who Framed Roger Rabbit star passed away in April (14) at the age of 71 and fans had expected him to be remembered at the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) ceremony in London on Sunday night (08Feb15).
U.S. stars including Robin Williams, Mickey Rooney and Lauren Bacall, who all died last year (14), were featured in the section, but beloved Brit Hoskins was noticeably absent, sparking a flurry of outraged messages on social media.
BAFTA bosses have now responded to the criticism and insisted they chose to honour Hoskins at their TV awards in May (14) because he had racked up some small screen credits along with his movie career.
A statement from BAFTA reads, "Due to the timing of his death in April last year, and the fact that his credits included television as well as film... Bob Hoskins was included in the televised obituaries package at the British Academy Television Awards last year. BAFTA features individuals in televised obituaries only once, sadly due to the number of people we'd like to recognise at any one time, and that means difficult decisions have to be made as to which ceremony they should be included in. As Bob died in April last year, just before the television awards, we felt it was right to remember his wonderful career then, rather than wait until last night's film awards."

Boyhood, The Theory Of Everything and The Grand Budapest Hotel were among the big winners at the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) Awards on Sunday (08Feb15). Boyhood scored the coveted Best Film prize, while filmmaker Richard Linklater claimed Best Director and Patricia Arquette was named Best Supporting Actress.
Hawke accepted the director award on Linklater's behalf, as the filmmaker had opted to attend the Directors Guild Awards in Los Angeles the previous night (07Feb15) instead. Hawke says, "He was hijacked at the DGAs and sat there losing and is going to be really, frankly, p**sed off, that he’s not here tonight."
Linklater lost the top directing prize at the DGA ceremony to Birdman's Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu.
The Theory of Everything was another triple winner, scoring Outstanding British Film, Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Leading Actor for Eddie Redmayne's portrayal of physicist Stephen Hawking.
In his acceptance speech, the star paid tribute to Hawking and his wife Jane, who were in the audience at London's Royal Opera House, saying, "I would like to thank them for their trust in us, their generosity and their kindness and for reminding me of the great strength that comes from having the will to live a full and passionate life."
The Grand Budapest Hotel landed the most prizes of the night with five, but its biggest win was in the Best Original Screenplay category for writer/director Wes Anderson, with the remaining accolades coming in the technical categories, including Costume Design, Production Design and Original Music.
Julianne Moore continued her awards season streak with the Leading Actress honour for Still Alice, while J.K. Simmons won Best Supporting Actor for Whiplash and Unbroken's Jack O'Connell was named the EE Rising Star.
Other winners included Citizenfour for Best Documentary and The Lego Movie, which picked up the Best Animated Film prize, despite being snubbed in the Oscar nominations.
During the ceremony, British royal The Duke of Cambridge and Robert Downey, Jr. paid special tribute to late actor/director Lord Richard Attenborough via video message. Attenborough, who directed Downey, Jr. in 1992 biopic Chaplin and served as BAFTA Chairman for eight years, died in August (14). The Iron Man star said, "I'm sad. I miss you Dicky," before reciting the opening lyrics to Smile by Charlie Chaplin.
The main In Memoriam tribute section honoured a number of late stars including Robin Williams, Lauren Bacall, Harold Ramis and Mickey Rooney.
The full winners list is as follows:
Best Film: Boyhood
Outstanding British Film: The Theory of Everything
Best Director: Richard Linklater - Boyhood
Best Leading Actor: Eddie Redmayne - The Theory of Everything
Best Leading Actress: Julianne Moore - Still Alice
Best Supporting Actor: J.K. Simmons - Whiplash
Best Supporting Actress: Patricia Arquette - Boyhood
Best Original Screenplay: Wes Anderson - The Grand Budapest Hotel
Best Adapted Screenplay: Anthony McCarten - The Theory of Everything
Best Original Music: Alexandre Desplat - The Grand Budapest Hotel
EE Rising Star Award: Jack O'Connell
Best Animated Film: The Lego Movie
Best Documentary: Citizenfour
Best Film Not in the English Language: Ida
Outstanding Debut by a British Writer, Director or Producer: Stephen Beresford, David Livingstone - Pride
Best Cinematography: Emmanuel Lubezki - Birdman
Best Special Visual Effects: Paul Franklin, Scott Fisher, Andrew Lockley, Ian Hunter - Interstellar
Best Production Design: Adam Stockhausen, Anna Pinnock - The Grand Budapest Hotel
Best Costume Design: Milena Canonero - The Grand Budapest Hotel
Best Makeup and Hair: Frances Hannon, Mark Coulier - The Grand Budapest Hotel
Best Sound: Thomas Curley, Ben Wilkins, Craig Mann - Whiplash
Best Editing: Tom Cross - Whiplash
Best Short Film: Boogaloo And Graham
Best Short Animation: The Bigger Picture
BAFTA Fellowship: Mike Leigh
Outstanding British Contribution to Cinema: BBC Films.

Actress Lizabeth Scott has died, aged 92. Scott passed away on 31 January (15) at the Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles after suffering congestive heart failure.
She was known for her deep voice and glamorous looks, and her roles in a series of film noir classics.
In 1947 she starred in I Walk Alone with Burt Lancaster, and opposite Charlton Heston in Dark City in 1950, while she also boasted Humphrey Bogart, Dean Martin and Elvis Presley among her co-stars.
Her last major role was in 1972 movie Pulp opposite Sir Michael Caine and Mickey Rooney, and her career has been commemorated with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in Los Angeles.

The Los Angeles office Seth Rogen shares with producing partner Evan Goldberg used to be movie mogul Louis B. Mayer's dining room on the MGM lot. It was also used as a classroom for the studio's child stars, like Judy Garland and Mickey Rooney.

Veteran actor Billy Crystal saluted his late friend and fellow funnyman Robin Williams as a comedic "genius" in a touching tribute at the 2014 Primetime Emmy Awards in Los Angeles on Monday (25Aug14). The Oscar-winning Good Will Hunting star committed suicide at his California home on 11 August (14) and his close pal Crystal was given the task of memorialising Williams at the annual prizegiving, which salutes the best in TV.
Taking to the stage at the Nokia Theatre L.A. Live at the end of the traditional In Memorium segment, which was set to the tune of Sara Bareilles singing a moving rendition of Nat King Cole classic Smile, Crystal recalled how he used to struggle to keep up with his old friend's quick wit and mountains of energy as they performed together in the early days of their careers.
Crystal said, "He made us laugh, hard... He made us laugh, big time. I spent many hours with Robin onstage. I mean, the brilliance was astounding, the relentless energy was, kind of, thrilling. I used to think if I could just put a saddle on him and stay on for eight seconds I would be OK..."
He continued, "As genius as he was onstage, he was the greatest friend you could ever imagine: supportive, protective, loving. It's very hard to talk about him in the past because he was so present in all of our lives.
"For almost 40 years, he was the brightest star in the comedy galaxy. But while some of the brightest of our celestial bodies are actually extinct now, their energy long since cooled, but miraculously, because they float in the heavens so far away from us now, their beautiful light will continue to shine on us forever and the glow will be so bright, it will warm your heart, it will make your eyes glisten and you'll think to yourselves, 'Robin Williams, what a concept.'"
Ironically, the late funnyman honoured Jonathan Winters during the same Emmy Awards segment last year (13).
Others remembered in the In Memorium piece, prior to Crystal's heartwarming tribute to Williams, included Philip Seymour Hoffman, Lauren Bacall, Paul Walker, James Garner, Peter O'Toole, Maya Angelou, Bob Hoskins, Mickey Rooney and Harold Ramis.

Hit series Breaking Bad went out with a big bang on Monday night (25Aug14) after dominating the drama categories at the 2014 Primetime Emmy Awards in Los Angeles. Bryan Cranston earned his fourth Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series trophy for his portrayal of chemistry teacher-turned-drug lord Walter White, while his co-stars Aaron Paul and Anna Gunn were named Outstanding Supporting Actor and Actress in a Drama Series.
Creator Vince Gilligan also triumphed at the ceremony after Breaking Bad, which wrapped its fifth and final season last year (13), beat Mad Men, True Detective, Game of Thrones, House of Cards and Downton Abbey to take home the prestigious Outstanding Drama Series title. In addition, there was a writing honour for Moira Walley-Beckett for the episode Ozymandias.
Modern Family was another multiple winner - the show continued to reign over the Outstanding Comedy Series category for the fifth year in a row, while Ty Burrell walked away as the Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series, the first prize of the night, and Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series went to Gail Mancuso for her Las Vegas episode of the show.
BBC series Sherlock landed a trio of trophies for writer Steven Moffat and its stars Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman, while Jim Parsons (Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series for The Big Bang Theory), Julia Louis-Dreyfus (Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series for Veep), Julianna Margulies (The Good Wife) and Allison Janney (Mom) scored big, too.
Singer Sara Bareilles performed a touching rendition of Nat King Cole classic Smile for the event's traditional In Memorium segment, which included nods to Philip Seymour Hoffman, Peter O'Toole, Lauren Bacall, Paul Walker, James Garner, Maya Angelou, Bob Hoskins, Mickey Rooney, Harold Ramis, Elaine Stritch and Shirley Temple, among others, before concluding with a snap of Robin Williams and a special honour from his close friend and fellow comedian, Billy Crystal.
The main list of winners at the 66th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards, hosted by comedian Seth Meyers, is as follows:
Outstanding Drama Series - Breaking Bad
Outstanding Comedy Series - Modern Family
Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series - Bryan Cranston, Breaking Bad
Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series - Julianna Margulies, The Good Wife
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series - Aaron Paul, Breaking Bad
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series - Anna Gunn, Breaking Bad
Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series - Jim Parsons, The Big Bang Theory
Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series - Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Veep
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series - Ty Burrell, Modern Family
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series - Allison Janney, Mom
Outstanding Miniseries - Fargo
Outstanding Television Movie - The Normal Heart
Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or a Movie - Benedict Cumberbatch for Sherlock episode His Last Vow
Outstanding Lead Actress in a Miniseries or a Movie - Jessica Lange, American Horror Story: Coven
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or a Movie - Martin Freeman for Sherlock episode His Last Vow
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Miniseries or a Movie - Kathy Bates, American Horror Story: Coven
Outstanding Variety Series - The Colbert Report
Outstanding Reality-Competition Program - The Amazing Race
Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series - Joe Morton, Scandal
Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series - Allison Janney, Masters of Sex
Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series - Jimmy Fallon, Saturday Night Live
Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series - Uzo Aduba, Orange Is the New Black
Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series - Moira Walley-Beckett for Breaking Bad episode Ozymandias
Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series - Louis C.K. for Louie episode So Did the Fat Lady
Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series - Cary Joji Fukunaga, True Detective
Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series - Gail Mancuso for Modern Family episode Las Vegas
Outstanding Writing for a Variety Special - Sarah Silverman, Sarah Silverman: We Are Miracles
Outstanding Writing for a Miniseries, Movie or a Dramatic Special - Steven Moffat for Sherlock episode His Last Vow
Outstanding Directing for a Variety Special - Glen Weiss, 67th Annual Tony Awards
Outstanding Directing for a Miniseries, Movie or a Dramatic Special - Colin Bucksey for Fargo episode Buridan's A**.

Alan Landsburg, the Emmy Award-winning mastermind behind Leonard Nimoy's hit series In Search Of... and Mickey Rooney's acclaimed TV movie Bill, has died. The 81 year old director/producer died of natural causes at his Beverly Hills home last week (14Aug14).
Landsburg also executive produced TV films The Ryan White Story and The Jayne Mansfield Story, which featured Loni Anderson as the actress and a young Arnold Schwarzenegger as her husband, Mickey Hargitay, and produced sequels Porky's II: The Next Day and Jaws 3-D.
He directed several episodes of 1960s documentary series Biography, hosted by Mike Wallace, as well as National Geographic specials and The Undersea World of Jacques Cousteau adventure series.
Nominated for an Emmy five times, he won the prize as a producer on the 1970 Hallmark Hall of Fame film A Storm in Summer, which was written by The Twilight Zone creator Rod Serling. Landsburg was also nominated for a Best Documentary Oscar in 1972 for Alaska Wilderness Lake.

Mickey Rooney's kids are contesting the late movie veteran's will, insisting he faced "undue influence" when he signed it weeks before his death. Seven of Rooney's biological children have filed suit in Los Angeles seeking that their father's will be invalidated.
They lost out when the actor's documents were made public after his death last month (Apr14) - he named his stepson and caretaker Mark Aber as the beneficiary to his estate, which is valued at $18,000 (GBP11,250).
Rooney's kids claim Aber and the estate's current executor, attorney Michael Augustine, took "advantage" of their father.
In the legal papers they have filed, the siblings claim Aber and Augustine "suggested and dictated the contents of the (will)" and "arranged for the execution of the document" at a time when Rooney was "wholly under the influence" of the two men.
Augustine's lawyer Richard Petty tells People.com, "We think the contest is utterly without merit and that there is no truth at all to any of the allegations."

Starred as Chief, a wise old ranch owner, in the independent family feature film "Lost Stallions: The Journey Home"

Starred as the older brother of the character he played in "Ah, Wilderness" (1935) in the musical adaptation "Summer Holiday"

Re-teamed with Garland and Berkeley in "Strike Up the Band"

Acted in "Ah, Wilderness," a film adaptation of Eugene O'Neill's comedy

Played Lorenz Hart opposite Tom Drake's Richard Rodgers in "Words and Music"; final film with Garland

Received an Oscar nomination for his performance as a teenager who takes over as man of the house in "The Human Comedy"

Played Puck in a star-studded film production of "A Midsummer Night's Dream," starring James Cagney and Olivia de Haviland

Debuted as Andy Hardy in "A Family Affair"

Starred on Broadway, opposite Ann Miller, in the popular revue "Sugar Babies"; received a Tony nomination

Featured in the ensemble comedy "It's A Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World"

Had acclaimed roles in "Boys Town" and "Love Finds Andy Hardy"

Third collaboration with Berkeley and Garland, "Babes on Broadway"

Appeared in the Toronto production of "Crazy for You," a stage adaptation of his film "Girl Crazy"

Gave a charmless performance as an Asian man taken with Audrey Hepburn's Holly Golightly in "Breakfast at Tiffany's"

Signed to MGM

First of ten films with Judy Garland, "Thoroughbreds Don't Cry"

Started his film career with nearly a dozen credits in a single year, including roles in "Manhattan Melodrama" and "I Like It That Way"

Starred as Mickey McGuire in over 50 installments of a two-reel comedy series

Performed mostly supporting roles in A-budget films and leads in B's during the 1950s

Reprised title role in the CBS TV-movie sequel "Bill on His Own"

Played a retiree who enherits a luxury hotel in the sitcom "Mickey" (ABC)

Gave a memorable performance in the World War II drama "The Bold and the Brave"; nominated for Oscar for his performance

Summary

Mickey Rooney was a little man who enjoyed a big career and a larger-than-life persona. Born into a family of vaudeville performers, he was pushed on stage before he could talk and never let up, appearing in hundreds of movies, TV shows, plays, casinos and gossip columns. He had a hunger for life and work that belied his small stature, marrying eight times, earning and losing millions of dollars on several occasions, and seemingly accepting any invitation to perform, whether it was a dinner theater or the Academy Awards. Outliving most of his Golden Age contemporaries, he carved out a unique place in show business history that spanned generations of fans. And even though his career reached its peak in the 1930s with his onscreen partnership with Judy Garland, he continued to win awards and accolades until his death on April 6, 2014.

Name

Role

Comments

Nellie Carter

Mother

Performed with husband Joe Yule who was also a vaudeville actor; Moved with son Mickey to Hollywood 1925 after splitting from husband

Born April 30, 1894; known for his role in "Jiggs and Maggie" film series; performed with wife Nellie W. Carter, who was also a vaudeville actor; Died from a heart attack, March 30, 1950

Education

Name

Hollywood High School

Notes

Rooney has been nominated for four Oscars: as Best Actor in "Babes in Arms" (1939) and "The Human Comedy" (1943) and as Best Supporting Actor in "The Bold and the Brave" (1956) and "The Black Stallion" (1979).

Filed for bankruptcy in July 1996, citing debts of over $1.75 million owed to the IRS.

Underwent emergency surgery for a perforated colon while touring Australia in 1999.

Rooney underwent open heart surgery in December 2000.

On March 3, 2011, Mickey Rooney told the Senate Special Committee on Aging that he was abused by a family member who took control of his life. Rooney implored the Senate committee to stop what experts call chronic emotional, physical, sexual and financial abuse of elderly Americans by family members and other caregivers. Rooney has filed a restraining order against his stepson and stepdaughter, claiming both emotional and financial abuse.